Container



Nov. 9, 1943. A B, KNER 2,333,798

CONTAINER Filed March 27, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov.l 9, 1.943.

A. B, KNER CONTAINER Filed March 27, 1941 s sheets-sheet A. B. KNER Nov. 9, 1943.

coNTAINER Filed March 27, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Nov. 9, 1943 CONTAINER lbert B. Kner, Chicago, Ill., assignor'to Con-V tanerCorporation of America, Chicago, Ill., Va

corporation ofY Delaware Application March 27, 1941, serial No. 385,440

7 claims. (c1. 22a- 68) The invention relates to containers constructed from paper-board,` fiber-boardl and similar material and, more particularly,- toacontaineror folder adapted to receiveand retain one or more articles such as relatively fiati-iles, plates or discs and is especially constructed and arranged-to receive, retain and protect such articles as phonograph or other 'disc records for storage, shipment and sundry other`purposes. `In View of the peculiar value of the invention as a receptacle for disc records,ritwill be disclosed herein in its preferred application to that use although it will become apparent that the invention is or may readily be adapted to other usesand purposes.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a container-or folder adapted to receive and safely retainone or more articles of a at or disc-like nature, the arrangement preferably being such that where a plurality of articles is enclosed, each article isspaced from each adjacent article. A

Another principal object is to provide a container so constructed thatthe edges as well as the faces of fragilecontents, such as record discs, will be protected against injury and so that blows, shocks, jarsor other stresses, .which otherwise might seriously injure or destroy the contents, will be cushioned and absorbed by the container itself without transmission Ftothe contents.

Another important objectis toprovide a container or receptacle particularly well adapted to receive and retain one-ora plurality of fragile articles," such as record discsffsof that theharticles may be stored on edge on shelves or the like much after the usual practice of shelving books. In this connection it may be noted that the container may bemarked alongan' edge face with such data or indiciaas `desired to identify or describe its contents,` the` marking being exposed to View when stored''in the'manner suggested. 1 l

Still anotherl object islto provide a container, of the character-mentioned,so constructed and arranged that 'it may be constructedfrom a single sheet of material, properlycut and scored for folding at its place of manufacture and shipped to a consumer or user' in such flat or knocked-down condition, or, partly'or completely folded, set-up and temporarily closed at the factory and thereafterl and in that condition shipped to the user or consumer.

A further `object is Ato provide acompact and economical container adapted to have a long life even though it'may be roughlyv handled and constantly used. Y In this connection it may bestated same in closed condition.

Vof blanks conveniently may be stacked that in itspreferredV form for holding phonograph record discs (as illustrated) thecontainer is of the bellows type so that it may be compressed to' small-volume when not infuse, Or for shipment, yet may be expanded'easilyto receive and dispense butfirmly to hold 'its fragile contents and various quantities of the same.

',I'he invention objects also include:` the provision of a special envelope receptacle adapted to receive a record disc or'the like and -t be received, with its 'contained disc, inthe record holder or container together with other envelopes of like character each carrying'a disc, the envelopes 4being* so Vconstructed and arranged as to give a maximum amountof kcushioning protection to the record edges and tominimize chances of cracking or breaking the 4record across its face; the provision of reenforcingand cushioning members or flapsythe provision of an easily operated lock whereby the reenforcing and cushioningaps may be secured in their proper positions; and the provision of a closure member arranged to cooperate and interlock with the reenforcing and cushioning iiaps, the Vclosure member carrying a locking tongue of novel construction.

Other objectsas well vas .the advantages and uses ofthe invention' shouldbecome apparent and be understood by those skilled lin the'art after reading the following description and claims and after viewingV thedrawings in which:

Y Fig.` 1 is a,v perspective view of la container or holder for phonograph disc records, showing the Fig.f2 is a'large scale view in perspective of the -containerof Fig. 1v in open position with portions brokenaway to permit unobstructed sight of parts which would otherwiserbeobscured. f

Fig. '4 `is-a planA "or developed view of thecon- `tainer'or holder illustrating same inits blank form as cutfrom` a sheet of suitable material, after Vscoring and ready to bel foldedf Fig. 5 illustrates the holder in apartially folded state in which condition each cfa plurality one upon another` for storage or'shipmenu Fig. 6 is a perspective view of an envelope folder specially devised for reception of'articles such as record discs and the like *andi specially arranged to be received inl'andto cooperate with the holder or container of Figs; 1 to 5 inclusive,

`for the protectionfstorage and transportation .-of the articles therein contained Fig. 7 is a section of a fragment of the envelope of Fig. 6, the section being taken along line VI--VII of Fig. 6, and

Fig. 8 is a plan or developed View of the cut and scored blank from which the envelope of Fig. 6 may be constructed.

In constructing the particular form of the invention illustrated, blanks of the configurations shown in Figs. 4 and 8 are cut Withsuitable dies from the desired material, such aspaperboard, ber-board or other sheet material, and, either simultaneously or otherwise, are suitably scored along predetermined lines of bending or folding.

The blank of Fig. 4 provides the outer folder, Wrapper or case and will be de'scribd'iirst While the blank of Fig. 8 provides the innerfolder', case or envelope adapted to receive the individual articles, such as disc records, the outer'fclder being arranged in this instance to receive four. envelopes each carrying one record disc. Of course, the outer folder mayvbe constructed to receive only one envelope and its-contained record enit may be constructed-to receive' anynumber to the limit of the material strength. vl?el lows ,plaits are provided in ,eachof the side edge walls andare complementary in number e Y andv larrangement thereby to provide corresponding slots ork guides which not-only permits the inner disc carrying envelopes` to be slid into place in the pocket of the outer folder but also serve tomspace the inner envelopes and their contents from one another and to cushion the contents against blows, pres"- sure or jarsthat otherwise might injure the contents. It should be appreciated, however', that each of the folders, inner and outer, may be used l Without the other although, for disc record holding purposes, the combination-,of the -tWo-isy preferred sincetheysupplement one'anoth'er in many respectsv in attaining manyofthe objectives- Now, referring to thecuter folder and; its blank shown in Figs. l to 5- inclusive;y the cutting4 and scoring. provide: a one piece blankthe major di'- visions or parts of whichv are, a front `vva'llpanel 2, a bottom wall panel a1 back Awall-panel 4, a

top Wall panel 5,. a front Wall .closure;.0.r; cover i' flap 6,a locking tongue member generally designatedl, correspondingly similar si'defla'pst and I joined tothe opposite` side edges of. back Wall panel 4 by side wall panels 9 and II, respectively,

and side Wall panelsgenerally.designatedzlZ and I3 attached to the opposite side edges of from wall panel 2. The side Wall panels I2A and' I3 which are to be plaitedaccordion-wise t'o provide a bellows construction, as Well illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, may be notched along cor-respond'- ing edges (those edges which `Willjbecome the bot'- tom edges), as shown` at; I4, although it is ,preferred to omit these notchesexcept those. adjacent front Wall panel -2f. `Side Wall panel'sI-Z .and I3 are also scored along parallel equallyspa'ced lines`I-, the innermost of which define the side edges of the front wall panel 2 andthe outermost of which set olf end. strips:Y I6 which: are to be secured by adhesive or other means toa theback or rear wall panel Il aswill later appean. Those edges of the strips I6V which Willy fall-in upper and lower positions when theout'er. folder is completed preferably are bevelled asfindicated at Iland I8,

respectively. l

Parallel score lines I9 dene. the bottomI Wall panel 3 betweenfront and back Wall panels 21 and c4 and a third Vscore line-20; kdii/'.ides-.the panel. 3

intontwo equal parts. Similarly, parallel/score lines 2L and 22 respectively Adeixnethe side wall panels 9, II and.toppanel 5lffrcm they back W'all panel 4 and the side flaps 8, I0 and top or front cover flaps 6. Each of panels 3, 5, 9 and II may be substantially the same Width (shortest dimension) although it may be desirable to have panels 9 and II Wider than panel 3 by one thickness of the material since their flaps 8 and I0 are intended to overlap the front panel 2 on the outside thereof and, similarly, the Width of top panel 5 may exceed the Width of side'panels 9 and II by one thickness of the` material since the cover flap 6 attached to the top panel is intended to overlap the flaps 8 and I0 on the outside thereof. y T he front panel 2 is provided with a substantially centrally` disposed Iarcuate or crescent shaped slot or slit 23 which at its upper edge may be lWider'ietl als"4 at 24 for linger nail or tip insertion'or lopeningl the slit and each of the side iiaps 8g and' IgIl 'is provided with an opening 25 each adapted fully to register with the other and with slit or slot 23 when the flaps are folded over one another and across the outside face of front panel-25 as shownin Fig. l. The locking tongue member 'l is joined tothe cover ap 64only along score line 26 being cut vfree therefrom along lines y 21, 28, parallel score lines: 29, 3l]` and 3| and notches 32 divide member 'I into four (4) parts designated 33,A 34,l ant-1.36. Part 3B is provided With4 a slit 31 which, When this part is folded against thel under (inside) face of part 35 and part 34 is pfoldedthereever, is adapted to'receive part 33 therein and'. therethrough rto lock these partsin the. relative Apositions illustrated in- Fig. 2,. This construction. reenforces' theV locking.v tongue member k'I and, by reasonof the fact that portions 34 and 36 extend across,Y scoregline 26 and. overlap flaps 6; the lockingA tongue member Whilefree to vhingeat score'line. 26 is yet prevented; from being bent toe far under iiap 6.v f

Ithas been foundfdesirable partially to prefold the blank vwhen itj isl to be stored for later use or for shipment from its place of manufactureto another place-Where it is to be,used as such arrangement` facilitates paeking .large numbers of the; blanksfupon one another, conserves shipping space; and minimizesfcharrcescf injury to the blanks .themselvesey Since the'end strips I6 are to be secu-red, (ast-by adhesive 38:) to the backwall panel 4l atits:y inner face and adjacent to the inner of the score-lines 2I, thisDperation is performed the .blankf being folded* on score line'- 20 and the sid'egrwall panels I52gand- I3 bein'gfolded'along their middle score'llines; I'5,for thisxpurpose. Thereafter the'top or cover iiap'6, may be folded down about. thev sccredine 2-2 segregatlng it from top panel l5` so that it assumes the position shown in Fig- 5.MWhenit is desired, to set-up the .folder it is only necessary to effectthe bellows'arrangej ment of thejside wallzpanels I2-and I3 byv plaiting themalong theseveral sccrelines I5, to fold and lock the'parts 314,351and-361of the tongue-member l, and to fold the several other parts alongithe remaining -scorelines I9; I2| and- 2-2, which .results intheproduet illustrated in Figa. 1 .The inner folder.- or envelope depicted in Figs. 6, 7 and Bland indicated as partially disposedI in one of the four plait-pockets of the cuter folder in Fig. 2, may; alsobev constructed in a one-piece blank cut fromI the sarne-vr or similar' material ras 4that fromwhichvthe 'outer -fclderis composed.

yAs show-nin Fig. 8,-;the blankiscutto` provide similarly shapedpanels'A-IJ', 49f having centrally disposed circular openings 4|- arcuate lnotches 42 and-4f3'irr. their free edges, theiradjacentedges 'beingjjoined ,along score line 44.

,Atreach -side .f ofzfeachv panel score v lines l 45 and lltogether with arcuateedges 4land48 demark complementary marginal portions` 50 and 5I of which portion 50, .when folded on score line `i6 is adapted to lie upon and besecured,

as by adhesive 52, to that face ofits connected Y panelV which will be an inner face of the4 envelope or folder. All ofthe portions 50 are folded down upon their adjacent portions 5| and secured thereto in thesame sense and thereafter one panel 40 is folded aboutscorelineMl to bring it in face to face relation with the other panel 40, although spaced therefrom, and to bring the corresponding infolded marginal portions 50 into contact with one another throughout their lengths in which mated position they are secured together as by adhesivev 53. .Y

This arrangement and construction spaces the panels 40, 40 apart from one another over their entire areas between score lines 45,. and pro- ,vides a pocket into which a phonographvrecord disc or other like shaped article may be disposed. Preferably the vertical distance between the oppositeV inturned free edges of portions 50 will be only slightly greater than the diameter of the record disc or otherarticle to be received in the envelope andthe depth of the `pocket will be such asV would Yconceal the record were it not for the arcuate notches 42, 43 one of which may be deeper cut than the other to permit the record edge to be observed and grasped for removal. Preferably also, the thickness of the material, of which the inner folder or envelope is composed, is such that two thicknesses thereof will closell7 approach the thickness of the record discs or other article to be packaged, or strip inserts could be placed between the portions 50 and 5I or both to build up the side thickness to a thickness equivalent to the thickness of the article.

The marginal portions 50 serve as cushions adapted to absorb shocks or blows which, if falling against the edge of a record disc, might chip or break the same. Also by reason of the substantial equality of thickness throughout the.

side marginal lengths of the envelope edge portions to the thickness of the envelope over the area covering the record disc, no steps or inequality occurs between the envelope margin surfaces and the surface actually covering the record disc, thereby reducing the chances of cracking or breaking the record by a blow across its face while the record is in the envelope. Score lines 65 may be omitted although it is deemed preferable to have them since they permit the envelope marginal portions to flex to a slight degree relative to the record and, thereby, to conform to inequalities in alignment between opposite plaits in the outer folder earlier described.

The outerfolder of Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive is designed to receive four of the inner folders 0r envelopes just described, whether the envelopes do or do not contain records. Each envelope with its contained record is adapted to slide into the pocket of the outer folder with its marginal edge portions guided into correspondingly opposite plaits in the side walls of the outer folder as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, the pocket depth being such that when the bottom edge of the inner envelope comes to rest against the bottom wall panel 3, the top edges of panels 40 will lie flush with the plane of the top of the outer folder pocket. When it is desired to close the outer folder, the side flaps 8 and l0 are folded around the plaited side Wall panels and overlapped one on the other over the front wall panel 2, the cover panel is folded over the mouth of the pocket and overthe outer ofthe; flaps 8 and I0, and the tongue member'l is inserted in the slitor slot 23. Ordinarily. the package of records will .be stored on its bottom edge, that is, resting on the vbottom wall panel 3, in which case data relative to the contents of the package appropriately may be marked on an edge (side wall) as indicated bythe letter A in Fig. 1.

VThe invention is susceptible of various modifications `andvariations as well as of incorporation inpackaging containers of other types and for other purposes, as will be appreciated. Consequently the scope of the invention is not to be bounded bythe foregoing description of a present preferred embodiment or to the construction designed for av particular use, but rather by its spirit and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A lcontainer comprising, a generally rectangular back panel defining top, bottom and lateral edgesa bottom panel attached to the lbottomedge of said back panel, a generally rectangularfront panel attached along one edge to said bottom `panel and extending over and in spaced relation to a substantial part of the area of said back panel, the edge of said front panel that is opposite, toits edge attached to said bottom panel being free, means connecting each of the other pair of opposite edges of said front panel to said back panel, a pair of lateral flaps one of which is attached to one and the other to the other of the lateral edges of the back panel and being adapted to overlap one another in a position overlying said front panel, a closure flap attached to the top edge of the back panel and being adapted to overlie portions of said lateral flaps, said lateral flaps and said front panel having registering openings, and tongue means carried by said closure flap and adapted to be disposed through said openings to secure said container in closed condition.

2. A container comprising, a generally rectangular back panel defining top, bottom and lateral edges, a bottom panel attached to the bottom edge of said back panel, a generally rectangular front panel attached to said bottom panel along one of a pair of opposite edges and extending lover and in spaced relation to a substantial part of the area of said back panel, means connecting each of the other pair of opposite edges of said front panel to said back panel, a pair of lateral flaps one of which is attached to one and the other to the other of the lateral edges of the back panel and being adapted to overlap one another in a position overlying said front panel, a closure flap attached to the top edge of the back panel and being adapted to overlie portions of said lateral flaps, and means for securing said flaps together in their positions overlying one another.

3. A container comprising, a generally rectangular back panel dening top, bottom and lateral edges, a bottom panel attached to the bottom edge of said back panel, a front panel attached along one edge to said bottom panel and extending over and in spaced relation to a substantial part of the area of said back panel, said front panel having substantially oppositely disposed lateral edges, means connecting each of said opposite edges of said front panel to said back panel adjacent to the lateral edges thereof, at least one lateral flap attached to a lateral edge of the back panel and being adapted to overlap said front panel, a closure flap attached to the top edge of the back panel and being adapted to overlie a portion of said lateral flap, and means for securing said aps together in their positions overlying one another. l

4. A paperboard container comprising: a gen.- erally rectangular back panel defining top, bottom and lateral edges, a bottom panel attached to the bottom edge of said back panel,. agenerally rectangular front panel attached. to said bottom panel along one of a pair of opposite edges and extending over and in spaced relation toa substantial part of thearea of .said back panel, a multiple-plaited side wall on each` oi the other pairrof opposite edges of said front panel extending toward andsecured to the inner surface of said back panel, a lateral flap on each of the lateral edges of said back panel, said lateral flapsbeing adapted to overlap one another in part in a position overlying said front panel, a closure flap attached to the top edge of said Wall adapted to overlieportions of said lateral aps, and means for securing said flaps together in their positions overlying one another.

5. A paperboard container according to claim 4 wherein said securing means includes registering openings in said lateral ilaps .and said front Wall, and a tongue carried by said closure flap having laterally extending vportions folded over upon each other and secured together, said ytongue being adapted to be disposed through said openings, A Y

6. A paperboard c'ontaineraccording to claim .4 wherein each of said lateral lapsis provided with a. score line parallell to; the lateral edge of the back panel to which .itis attached and spaced therefrom a distance substantially'equal to the dimension of saidnbottomV panel defining .the spacing between said back and front panels;

7. A paperboard container for record discs and the lilcecomprising, iin'fcombination, a container according to: claim 4 and a plurality. of envelopes adapted to receive such discs `disposed in and between each pair of oppositely disposed plaits in said side Walls, each of said'enlvelopes comprising a single sheet` of paperboard folded upon itself along an intermediate. transverse line. to

'provide ltwo envelope Walls, said transverse line constitutingV a bottom edge; a marginal strip on each side edge of' each of said envelope walls, and an extension strip on eachof said marginal strips, said extension strips on each side of said envelope being infoldedl against and secured to their associated marginal' strips and alsoI being secured to each other, whereby said envelope Walls are spaced from each other.

y i B. KNER. 

